Pan-skip mechanism for dough-cutting machines.



H. STAPFEL.

PAN SKIP MEGHANISM FOR DOUGH CUTTING MACHINES.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY z, 1910.

1, 1 1 1,549. Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

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I r "Il i I I4 H. STA-FEEL. PAN SKIP MBGIIANISII I'o noUGH GETTING MACHINES.

. APPLIUA'IION FILED JULY 2, 1910. 1,111,549, Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

HENRY STAFEEL, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK, AssIeNon To THE J. w. atteint` MANU- FACTURING coMr'ANY, or BUFFALO, NEW Yoan, A conronATIoN or NEW YORK.

Specication o1 Letters Patent.

PAN-SKIP MECHANISM FOR DOGH-CUTTING MACHINES.

Patented sept. 22 1914.

Application led July 2, 1910. Serial 110.570,043.

To all wlw/n it may concern: t Be it known that LHENRY STAFFEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo.

in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pan-Skip Mechanism for Dough-Cutting Machines, 'of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to a pan skip mechanism for doughi cutting machines. In machines of this character as ordinarily con Structed the 'sheet of dough is divided into a plurality of cakes or blanks by an intermittently operating cutter mechanism and these cakes are then carried forwardly by means of an apron moving step by step in harmony with the operation of the cutter. At the discharge end of the cutter apron the dough cakes are discharged therefrom in transverse rows into pans which are moved forwardly by means lof va pan conveyer which also normally moves forwardly step by step in the same measure asthe cutter apronand in harmony with the cutter mechanism.

In order to avoid depositing cakes of dough into the spaces between the rear end of each pan and the front end of the next following pan it has been customary heretofore to employan attendant for pushing the next following empty pan forwardly when the rear end of the preceding pan has passed the delivery end of the cutter apron and thereby avoid depositing cakes between the ends of adjacent pans.

It is the object' of this i-nvention to provide machines of this character with la mechanism whereby this skipping operation is eected automatically and which operates with certainty and without noise, and which .is not liable to derange the pans' when running at high speeds and thereby prevents irregular depositing of the cakes in the pansi In the accompanying drawings consisting of 2*sheets: Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of a dough cutting machine provided with my pan. skip mechanism. Fig.' 2 is a topplan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, on an enlarged scale, partly in section, of the pan skip mechanism. Fig. 4 is a 4fragmentary vertical longitudinal section, .on a reduced scale, in line 4 4, Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a frag- -mentary vertical transverse section, on an enlarged scale, 1n line 5-5, Fig.- 3.

Similar letters ofv reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. g

A represents the main frame of .the dough cutting machine which may be of anyv suitable construction to support the different movable parts of the machine.

B represen-ts .the cutter apron which moves horizontally lengthwise of the machine and supports the sheet ofdough while the saine is being cut into cakes or blanks and also moves the ,cakes forward and delivers the same at l.the tail end of the cutter apron in-t the pans C'which are adapted to hold the cakes while the same, are being baked.

In Fig. 1 only the rear part of the cutter apron is shown, this part passing atxits front turn around a delivery roller D while the upper and lower runs on this apron are supported in rear of the delivery roller by means of upper and lower guide rollers d, d.

The cutter apron moves forward intermittently, the mechanism whereliy this is effected operating in harmony with the cutter mechanism so that the cutter apron is at rest while the cutter is descending and cutting ont a row or gang of cakes from the sheet of dough which is supported by the cutter apron and'when the cutter rises the cutter apron advances another step for -removing the cut portion of the dough from underneath the cutter and presenting another part of the sheet of dough in position to be operated upon by the cutter during the next following downward strokeof the same. This cutter mechanism and the means for intermittently operating the same in alternation with the cutter apron may be of any suitable .or approved construction and forms no part of this invention.

The pans which receive the cakes from the cutter apro-n are moved horizontally forward under the-delivery part of the cutter apron so that .the cakes of dough drop from the cutter apron into the pans' as lthe cutter apron passes around the delivery roller D from the upperto the lower run on this apron. Y

propelled is preferably ofthe endless type and comprises two endless chain belts E rear turns around rear supporting sprocket wheels f mounted on a transverse rear shaft F journaled in suitable bearings on the adjacent-part of the frame while the front or delivery turns of these belts pass around front supporting sprocket wheels g secured to a delivery shaft G journaled transversely in bearings on the adjacent front part of the frame. l

At suitable intervals the two belts of the pan carrier or conveyer are provided with wings or ights e which are secured transversely thereto and each of which engages with the rear edge of a pan placed upon the belts and thus operates to carry the pan forward positively and also as a gage for determining the proper position-of a pan on the pan carrier or apron.

The 'pan apron normally moves forward intermittently step by step in the same measure and simultaneously with the cutter apron. `While the pan' is underneath the delivery part of the cutter apron a fresh or unoccupied part of the pan is presented after each forward stepto the delivery part of the cutter apron for receiving a row or -batch 'of cakes therefrom. This regular feed mechanism for advancing the pan apron may be of any suitable construction, that shown in the drawings being similar to that heretofore in use and comprising a ratchet-,wheel I secured to thefront transverse shaft Gr, a lower oscillating main feed arm J pivoted loosely on the frontshaft Gr at the inner side of the ratchet wheel and provided at its lower end with a main feed pawl or dog j which is pivoted thereto andv adapted to engage at its free end with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, a depending oscillating actuating arm K which is preferably pivoted loosely on the rear transverse shaftF, a pitman L connecting the main feed arm and the actuating arm K and an. actuating rod Zt which connects the actuating arm with any suitable actuating device for oscillating the same once for every operation of the dough cutting machine.

During each forward movement of the actuating rock arm K the main feed arm moves forward idly and the main feed pawl or dog also moves idly past the teeth of the ratchet wheel. During the rearward movement of the actuating arm the main feed arm also moves rearwardly and its feed pawl is caused to engage with the teeth of the ratchet wheel whereby the. latter together with the front transverse shaft,

sprocket wheels, chain, wings and the pans.

supported thereby are caused to moveforwardly. The extent of each of these move forward movement of the main feed arm, f

this pawl is moved positively into and out of its operative position by means of a shifting device which is of well known con# struction and which, as shown in the drawings, comprises a shifting ar'm M mounted loosely at its inner end on the hub of the ratchet wheel, a clamping cap m which is connected with the hub of the ratchet wheel l by means o f a pin m1 secured to this wheel and entering an opening 1n the'clampingl cap, a clamping screw nut m2 arranged on the outer endof the front shaft G and bearing against the outer side of the cap,

so that lthe inner part of the shifting arm is frictionally clamped between the cap and the outer side of the ratchet wheel, and a pin n arranged on the free end of the main feed pawl and engaging with a cam-shaped slot n1 in the outer partof the shifting arm.

During the first part of the forward movement of the main feed arm the shifting arm M remains at rest thereby ausing vthe pin n of the main feed pawl by engaging with the lcam slot 'nl of the shifting arm to be moved outwardly, whereby the free end of the main feed pawl is disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet wheel. After this pawl hasbeen thus disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet wheel the pin n engages with` the front end of the cam slot and causes the shifting arm to move forwardly with the main feed arm to the end of its forward stroke. subsequent rearward stroke of the. main feed -armits pawl is moved into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel by the pin n engaging with the cam slot of the shifting arm which latter at this time is held frictionally against movement. After the During the first part of the v main feed pawl has been thus engaged with the ratchet wheel the latter together with the shifting arm, front shaft G and other parts operatively connected therewith move together to the end of the rearward stroke of the main feed arm.

In order to avoid any jarring action of this feed mechanism a cushioning device is provided which is preferably formed by 4constructing the pitman L in two sections Z, Z1 `which telescope relative to veach other,

the' front section Z having the form of a yoke and the rear section Z1'the form of a rod, and providing a spring Z2 which bears at its front end against a rearwardly facing shoulder Z3 on ythe rear section and a forwardly facing shoulder Z4 on the front section, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The expansion of the spring Z2 is limited by a forwardly facing'shoulder Z5' on the rear pitman section Z1 bearing against al rearwardly,

facing shoulder ZG on the front section Z.

My improved skip mechanism operates to? cause the pan apron-or conveyerto move forward an extra space whenever the rear end of onepan clears the delivery end of the cutter apron, thereby causing the'next following lot of cakes delivered bythe cutter apron to be discharged into the frontendv pivoted at its lower end on the hub of the lower or main feed arm J and operatively connected by an auxiliary or skip pitman P with the actuating rock arm K. At its up# per or outer end the skip or auxiliary feed arm is provided with a bearing g in which is journaled a short spindle or. rock shaft Q, which is arranged parallel with the front pan carrier shaft G. At the vouter end of this short Vrock shaft or spindle is secured a skip feed pawl or dog 7 which is adapted to be engaged with and to be disengaged e from teeth of the ,ratchet wheel on the upper side thereof, or in other Words, on that side op-l posite to lthaton which the ratchet wheel is engaged by the main feed pawl j. At the inner end of the spindle Q the .same is provided with a short trip arm 8 which projects forwardly therefrom and is provided at'its `front end with an anti-friction roller S.

T represents a spacing wheel, disk or cam secured to the front pan carrier shaft G ad'- jacent to the inner side of the upper and lower feed arms in line with the roller ofv the trip arm s. This cam is provided on its periphery with a high concentric face t of considerable extent and a low concentric face t1 which is comparatively short. During each oscillation of the actuating rock arm, the auxiliary feed arm is moved forwardly while vthe main feedarm is moved back-- wardly, and vice versa, owing to the arrangement of the auxiliary and main feed arms on o posite sides of the center of the front sha t G- and the connection of the same with theactuating arm on the saine side of the' rear shaft F. The construction of the spacing wheel or cam is such that when a pan is underneath the delivery end .of the cutter apron, the high part-or face of the spacing wheel or cam engages with the roller of the trip arm and raises the skip feed pawl out of engagement from the-teeth of the ratchet wheel so that at this time this pawl is moved forward and backward idly the .the operation of the main feed arm and pawl and associated parts. When, however, the rear end of a pan clears the delivery end of the 4cutter apron, the low part or face of the spacing wheel or cam is presented to the roller of the trip arm, thereby permitting vthis roller to. drop bygravity and the skip pawl to engage with 'the teeth of thel ratchet wheel. The parts are so timed that this engagement of the skip pawl occurs during the last part of the `rearward movement of the main an-d auxiliary feed arms at which time the main fee'd pawl has completed its active or rearward stroke and .is about to begin its idle or forward stroke andthe skip feed arm is about to begin its forward active stroke, thereby causing the i skip pawl to be engaged with the -ratchet Iwheel While the parts are momentarily at irest and this engagement can be effected without making-any noise. As the auxiliary g or skip feed arm effects its forward movement with its pawl in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, the panconveyer operatively connected therewith lis caused to. niove forward an additional intermediate stepfwhich practically eliminates one of the periods of rest between two regularor normal feeding steps of the pan conveyer. The stent of this additional step is such that1 the pan carrier skips the 4space between the rear end of'one pan and the front end of the next following pan so that'this space will not be below the delivery end of the cutter apron when the same is in motion and delivers a row of dough blanks or cakes. Immediately lafter effecting this extra step in the forward movement of the pan carrier the high part of the spacing cam again operates upon the roller of a trip arm to lift the skip pawl .out of engagement from the teeth of the' .ratchet wheel and hold-the same' in this position until the nextv following space between the adjacent ends of two pans passes the delivery end of the cutter apron.

The skip V.mechanism is operated in the manner described once during each rotation ofthe spacing wheel. In order to cause this operation to occurin harmony with the other vparts of the machine, the diameter of Pthe forward movement of the pan carrier is effected in the same manner, thereby preventing sudden or quick movement of the pan carrier and permitting running of the machine at a comparatively hi'h speed without producing undue noise and without jar# ring the machine 4or disarranging the pans on the pan conveyer or the cakes in the pans. AsA an additional precaution against such jarring and noise, the skip pitman is constructed in two sections, p, p1, the rear section p1 having the form ofva rod while the front section p has the form of a yoke which has a telescopic connection with the rear section, and a spring p2 is provided which bears at its opposite ends lagainst a rearwardly facing shoulder u on the front section and a forwardly facing shoulder u1 on the rear section. The expansion of this spring is limited by means of a shoulder u2 on the rear section adapted to bear' against a forwardly facing yshoulder us on the front section, as shown in F ig. 3

It will be noted that in this ratchet feed mechanism for the pan conveyentwo pawls j and r areemployed which operate upon the same ratchet wheel I but on diametrically opposite sides thereof. One ofthese pawls engages with the ratchet wheel during each forward movement thereof 'so as yond an ordinary feeding step so as toV move the carrier equal to the distance from the rear end of one pan to the front end of the next following pan.

This engagement of the skip feed pawl with the ratchet wheel is effected by means of the cam which lowers the skip.. feed pawl into its operative position at the rear end of i ts backward stroke and at the front end of the forward stroke of the regular feed pawl. By loweringthe skip feed pawl at the end of its rearward stroke at which time the rock arm carrying the skip pawl is momentarily at rest, this engagement of the skip feed awl with the ratchet wheel is effected wit lout making any noise and it also permits the next following forward movement of the skip feed pawl to operate upon. the ratchet wheel without giving'the latter a sudden jerk which otherwise would be liable to displace the ans on the conveyer. It will thus be seen t at the first pai-tof the,1ongwor. skipping step is effected by the regular feed pawl and thellast part of it by the skip feed pawl, these two pawls combining their 'effective movement to produce a skip feed action of the pan. The rock arms which support the regular feed pawl and the skip By this means the skip feed pawl is caused` to move backwardly while the regula-r feed pawl moves forwardly and when the ski feed pawl moves forwardly the regular feed pawl moves baekwardly.

The cam T which controls the engagement and disengagement of the skip feed pawl and the ratchet wheel' always turns in unison with the ratchet. wheel inasmiich as the latter andthe cam T are secured to the same shaft G. The rock arms 0 and J which pivotally support the skip feed pawl 1' and the regular feed pawl y' respectively are arranged between the ratchet wheel and thecam so as to produce a compactI construction and one in which the strain and wear of the parts is reduced to a minimum.

I claim as my'invention:

l. A panskip mechanism comprising a ratchet wheel, regular and skip feed rock arms turnin about the same axis as said ratchet whee and projecting from opposite l sides of said axis, means for operating said rock arms so that one of said arms moves forwardly while the other moves backwardly and vice versa, aregular feed pawl mounted on said regular rock arm and en- @aging with said ratchet wheel during each` forward movement thereof, a skip feed pawl mounted on the ski feed rock arm, and means for periodica ly lowering the skip feed pawl into engagement with said ratchet wheel at .the end of a forward stroke of the regular rockjarm and at the end of a rearward stroke ofthe skip feed arm and retaining the same in engagement with said ratchet wheel during the. subse'f quent active forward movement of the skip `and engaging with said ratchetwheel during each forward movement thereof, a skip feed pawl mounted on the skip feed rock arm, and means for periodically lowering lthenskip feed pawl into engagement with said ratchet wheel at the end of a forward stroke of the regular rock arm and at the end of a rearward stroke of the skip feed arm and retaining the same in engagement with said ratchet wheel during the subsequent active forward movement of the skip .Witness my hand this 29th day of June, feed arm and the idle return movement of 1 910. v the regular feed arm, comprising a trip arm HENRY STAFFEL. connected with said skip feed paw1,'and a Witnesses:

5 cam turning with said ratchet wheel and THEO. L. POPP, engaging'with said trip arm. ANNA HEIGIS. 

